Page 91 of Bound By Darkness

“Meaning you’re correct?”

Heat crept into my neck as he inched closer, a hand reaching to brush away a few strands of grass stuck to the ends of my hair.

“Thank you, half-breed.” His hand brushed against my shoulder as he pulled away, needles pricking my skin at the feathery touch.

“Thalia,” I corrected, my hands gripping the blanket tighter to stall my heart from rupturing. “My name’s Thalia. Not half-breed.”

His eyes glimmered, a spark returning to his face. “Thank you then,Thalia,” he whispered, my name covered in honey as it left his lips.

I swallowed, hoping the blanket covered the emotions swirling on my face from hearing him speak my name. These reactions were different from anything I’d experienced and I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

All I knew was I cared for him... that I enjoyedthis. Enjoyed when it was the two of us. Enjoyed feeling comfortable—happy. A weird feeling I couldn’t pinpoint as knots slowly unbound themselves from my heart.

“Come on,” he said as he stood. A hand reached down to mine. “We should head back before the cold settles in even more.”

Taking his hand, I gave a nod, my fingers interlocking with his. They might have lingered in his until the grass turned to gravel, the crushed gate appearing once more.

Even if I never told him, he’d healed a part of my heart tonight I thought was broken forever.

Chapter 26

Spoiled Pots

MORIA

“You still haven’t givenme a single job,” I bellowed at Iyanna, her long red nails tapping against the table between us.

“No,” Iyanna said coolly. The sleeves of her dress draped over the table as she leaned forward, her white eyes narrowing. “You’re not ready.”

“Why? Because I’m High Fae? Because my father is General to King Hywell?”

Iyanna held up a hand, silencing my words. “Because you are weak and lack formal training.”

“Bullshit. You know I spent my entire childhood training in Raha–”

“Enough,” she yelled as her nails scraped wood. “Leave me be,” she said with a wave. “Go tend to the kitchens or something.”

Without reply, a guard shoved me out of her tent as the red crystals collided.

I let out a strangled cry as I kicked dirt at the tent flaps. It was always the same answer.

What was I doing here at theHideaway? I’d agreed to their terms and volunteered to help fight, yet Iyanna shut me down every single time.

I wanted to assist their fight against King Hywell—to take down his power for what his men had done to Ellia… to me and Thalia. I wanted revenge, and at this pace, I’d never receive it.

Flicking my hair over my shoulder, I walked back to the familiar yellow tent. The smell of cardamom and coriander flooded my senses as Gia stirred a large pot.

“Back for more?” She rested a hand on her hip as she stirred the boiling mixture. Long red hair floated down her back, half neatly tied back with a clip. A dirtied apron rested over her chest, a towel strewn over her shoulder.

“Shut up,” I mumbled, grabbing another apron from the nearby rack. “Tell me what you need.”

Gia huffed, but nodded her head toward a pile of potatoes. “Clean, cut, and dry them. Toss them into that empty pot once done.”

I said nothing as I stood at the station rinsing potato after potato in the large tin bucket of water. My hands chilled as they dipped into the icy water, scrubbing the dirt and eyes away. It was mind-numbing, but easy work as I chopped them one by one into the large pot.

“Iyanna said no again, didn’t she?” Gia kept her eyes on the simmering liquid as she tossed in a heap of salt.

“Wow, what made you guess?”

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